Level 3

Established

Proactive. Documented standards. Governance-driven culture.

The board governs through well-defined, documented processes that go beyond minimum compliance requirements. Governance quality is consistent regardless of which individuals are serving. The board is proactive — it anticipates issues rather than reacting to them. There is a clear culture of governance quality and continuous improvement.

Gate Requirements

To achieve Level 3, a school must satisfy every gate below. Requirements are cumulative — all prior-level gates must remain in effect.

All Developing gates met
100% of board members certified in role-specific training
Board self-assessment conducted within last 12 months
Strategic plan current (adopted within 3 years, progress reviewed annually)
Formal executive evaluation process documented and executed annually
Policy audit: zero unresolved Advisory findings older than 90 days
Governance Maturity Score ≥ 70How GMS is calculated →

Prior level requirements (10)

L1·Emerging

· School is legally incorporated as a nonprofit
· Board has minimum required seats (per bylaws)
· School has an active charter agreement
· Board has met at least once in the past 90 days

L2·Developing

· All Emerging gates met
· Meeting notice compliance ≥ 85% over trailing 6 months
· Minutes approved within 30 days for ≥ 80% of meetings
· No unresolved Critical policy audit findings
· Annual audit completed within required timeframe
· At least 50% of board members have completed foundational training

Domain Characteristics at Level 3

Board Composition & Competency

All members certified in their roles. Succession plan active. Board composition regularly reviewed against strategic needs. Skills gaps identified and recruitment targets set.

Governance Processes & Compliance

Governance processes are documented and followed consistently. Policy library fully compliant, regularly reviewed, and maintained. Board self-assessment conducted annually.

Strategic Oversight & Accountability

Multi-year strategic plan actively monitored. Executive evaluation is formal, documented, and tied to charter commitments. Academic performance data drives board discussion.

Financial Governance & Sustainability

Board financial literacy demonstrated across multiple members. Audit committee functioning. Reserve fund policy in place and funded. Financial risks proactively monitored.

Transparency & Stakeholder Accountability

Transparency portal fully active. Annual community engagement cycle in place. Authorizer relationship is collaborative and proactive. Board self-assessment drives annual improvements.

Signals & Indicators

What governance data typically shows for a school at this maturity level.

Governance Maturity Score typically 63–78
Meeting notice compliance ≥ 95%
100% board certification completion
Policy audit: only Informational findings
Multi-year financial trend positive or stable
Transparency portal fully active and current

Authorizer Perspective
Strong governance. Likely to receive positive feedback at oversight reviews. Good renewal candidate.

Integration profile status at Level 3

Profile	Status	What it means
CGMI-C · Compliance	Active — Enhanced	Compliance exhibit included in Guided Appraisal output with full evidentiary weight.
CGMI-A · Authorizer	Active	CGMI-A formally activates. Rating recognized in authorizer oversight. Evidence package generated at appraisal.
CGMI-P · Partner	Tracking	Network operators monitoring schools at this level. Eligible for governance peer support within the network.

Advancement

Moving to Level 4: Advanced

Data-driven. Measured. Benchmarked. Continuously improving.

See Level 4 requirements →